According to Seth Godin content marketing is the only real marketing left. Whether you agree with that statement or not, it’s a great idea to have content as part of your marketing mix.

Every good marketer knows that words, imagery and video are powerful tools for building long-lasting relationships with prospects and securing a stable online presence. Here are some trends to watch for in 2014 which might just help you cross the bridge to success.

Building Relationships

When you think of content marketing what is the first goal that comes to your mind – driving sales or creating relationships? If it’s the former, you need to reconsider your marketing strategy. Creating content should be about engaging with customers using effective methods, not shameless self-promotion. There are various ways to do that.

• Think connection – Twitter lets you interact with your followers in real time. How can you use that to your brand’s advantage?

• Think exclusive content – publish some news and content only on Facebook.

• Think competitions – provide access to special content people could need and make them want to enter your competition.

• Think images – create beautiful Pinterest boards that speak your brand’s core message and values.

• Think motion – create a series of short YouTube videos to announce new products and present your brand in a more interactive dimension.

Each of these social media channels allows you to interact with a wide range of customers and get your message across.

Staying Versatile

When it comes to content marketing you need to keep in mind that some of the trends involve tools that didn’t even exist a few years ago. Therefore, each year content marketing embraces new technologies to deliver the best experience for customers. If you manage to keep up to date with the fast changes in marketing, you will be able to adapt your strategy accordingly. Content marketing is all about staying versatile and innovative. Some of the types of content you need to consider focusing on in 2014 include: videos, social media posts, podcasts, more blog posts and take a look at email newsletters again. And if you are not already – start measuring the results and planning how you can improve your lead conversion. After all, once you have the relationship and have provided information that confirms your depth of knowledge and expertise the next step is to win the business.

Give value

Without doubt the biggest trend in content marketing in 2014 will be giving value. Some brands may have got away with publishing just about any type of content in the past, but let’s not fool ourselves – people want value and they are willing to pay for good quality. Content marketing is about giving people what they need, offering solutions to their problems. When you use content properly, you build a customer base that is loyal and one that is willing to refer you. And we all know what magical results word-of-mouth advertising can have.

With these trends in mind, make sure you are doing the best content marketing possible in 2014.